Johannesburg – As a young girl, Samke Ngcobo, who suffers from bipolar disorder, was dismissed as a “demon” and told that she was “bewitched”.
At the age of 14, after being diagnosed by a psychologist and psychiatrist, she vowed to study medicine to help dispel cultural and religious stigmas about the disorder.
Bipolar is a disorder associated with episodes of mood swings, ranging from depressive lows to manic highs.
“When I saw the intervention and improvement in my own life, it fostered an interest to be active in mental health awareness as I saw how the quality of life can be improved.”